The Pigs
Our Berkshire pigs are brought to the farm between 6-8 weeks old. They are kept within a training pen on the premises until they learn to respect a two-strand electric wire fence, at which point they are then moved to pasture and woodlots where they remain for the rest of their time with us.
Their total acreage ranges between 2-3 acres and has a two-strand electrified perimeter fence and intermediary fences for rotational paddocks. We evaluate the woods’ and pastures’ ability to withstand the pigs natural rooting and grazing to determine when the appropriate time is to move to a new paddock.
The pigs are fed a GMO-free unprocessed grain and provided bountiful scraps from our garden, donations from local orchards, dropped tree nuts, neighboring farms’ scraps, and whatever else they forage for themselves. These animals are raised with love and respect and given ample space and diversity to exhibit their natural tendencies.
As much as we would like to process the pigs on the farm, we are not equipped to do so at this time so they are brought to a processing facility where the holding floor was designed by Temple Grandin, a woman who leads the charge on farm animal welfare.
Pork is sold by the half and whole on a first-come-first-served basis only, with cost based on hanging weight plus butcher fees. We raise one group a year, ready for processing in October/November.
Custom Butchering
For custom butchering, you are able to choose the cuts you want from a list provided by the slaughterhouse. This also includes choosing which cuts you prefer smoked or turned into sausage. We will assist you in choosing your cut-sheet and answer any questions you may have. It can take up to 2-3 weeks for fresh meat to be ready and an extra 3-5 weeks for smoked meat to be ready.
The pigs are USDA processed and butchered, and cuts are wrapped and sealed in individual packages determined by the customer. We will deliver the pigs and pick up the meat unless otherwise specified by the customer.
Approximate Yield
A pig will lose roughly 28% of its live weight once slaughtered and inedible parts removed. The pigs will typically dress out on between 68%-77% with an average of 72%. This average can lessen or raise depending on the cuts that are chosen (boneless vs. bone-in,) how much is smoked, how much is turned into ground or sausage, and if the head, trotters, and lards are taken by the customer.
300 lbs live weight - 28% =216 lbs dressed (hanging)
216 lbs dressed - 72% = 155.5 lbs take-home
We aim to have our pigs dress (hang) at 200-250 lbs, but the weights will vary due to the nature of animals and the changing environment. We find our pigs to offer around 75%-80% of the hanging weight, or 175-200 lbs of meat out of a 250lb hanging weight for a whole pig depending on the cuts.
